Civic Hall redevelopment: $8 million funding announced but still no firm plan

A decade after it was closed, the ongoing saga of Ballarat's Civic Hall continues. While musicians prepare to perform on the steps of the old art deco venue on Saturday, the Ballarat City Council is considering a draft budget containing $8 million of funding for the redevelopment of the hall.

The Deputy Mayor Samantha McIntosh told ABC Local Radio's Steve Martin this time would be different, but wouldn't give details of how the council would come up with a plan that would be acceptable by the community by September.

"There's a number of different options that are sitting on our table at the moment, we've asked the officers to do a lot more work on the few options that have been put in front of us."

She says the central community space the people of Ballarat are crying out for will be developed in 2014.

"I don't think a day goes by when people don't talk about it, and I suppose that highlights the importance of this particular site to us as a city.

"Certainly the details of that will be revealed. It was most important for us as a council while we're doing our budget deliberations that we made sure there was an amount available for us to be able to respond to the community views on what they feel this civic centre should be."